CHAVEZ'S INTIMIDATION TACTICS: POLICE ARREST

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001133

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2029
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ'S INTIMIDATION TACTICS: POLICE ARREST
CARACAS PREFECT

REF: CARACAS 1120

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBIN D. MEYER,
FOR REASON 1.4(D)


1. (C) Summary: The Prefect of the Caracas metropolitan
district, Richard Blanco, was arrested by state security
officers on August 26 for his alleged involvement in
"injurious and law-breaking behavior." Blanco is the
president of Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma's Brave
People's Alliance (ABP) party and was apparently involved in
a scuffle between police and opposition protesters in Caracas
during the August 22 march against the education law
(Reftel). The arrest, purportedly without a judge's order,
appears to be yet another act of political intimidation by
the Chavez administration against the opposition, and
specifically against Ledezma's supporters. End Summary.

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BLANCO ARRESTED
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2. (SBU) Caracas Prefect Richard Blanco was arrested the
afternoon of August 26 by the Scientific, Penal, and Criminal
Police (CICPC) on charges that he incited injurious and
law-breaking behavior. As of late August 26, Blanco was
being held at CICPC headquarters. Blanco's lawyer, Alberto
Arteaga, publicly contended that the detention was
"absolutely illegal (and) contrary to the guidelines of the
constitution." He added that there had been no judicial
order or flagrant act that would justify an arrest. Blanco
is scheduled to appear before a Caracas court on August 27.


3. (C) Metropolitan councilman Anibal Sanchez spoke over
the phone with Poloff August 27, as he was part of a crowd of
opposition members who were gathering to protest in front of
the court where Blanco was preparing to appear. He said that
Blanco's charges stem from his involvement in a scuffle
during the previous Saturday's protest against the education
law between metropolitan police (PM) "intelligence officers"
and opposition protesters. Allegedly, the PMs had
"infiltrated" the march and were surreptitiously taking
pictures of protesters near the march's start in Chacao.
After the officers were uncovered, the marchers gave chase
after a PM. According to Sanchez, Blanco stepped in to
defend the PM "kid" from being physically assaulted. Some
opposition-oriented media sources have claimed it is not
clear that the PMs involved are, in fact, police officers.
Director General of Civil Policy for the Metropolitan Mayor's
office Ivan Marcano publicly complained August 27 that "the
situation is so confusing" because no information had been
released by the Attorney General or the police.

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GBRV INTIMIDATION
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4. (C) Marcano suggested that the arrest was an act of
political persecution targeting Metropolitan Mayor Antonio
Ledezma. Sanchez noted that Blanco is the president of
Ledezma's Brave People's Alliance (ABP) party, and ABP
spokesman Oscar Perez led the opposition charge to complain
to the Attorney General's office about the police's
"disproportionate" response during the march. Ledezma
appointed Blanco to the prefecture, presumably as a
consolation prize, after Blanco dropped out of the 2008 race
for the Liberator municipal mayorship in favor of opposition
unity candidate Stalin Gonzalez (of Un Nuevo Tiempo).
Sanchez said that Blanco's position oversees metropolitan
issues (i.e. within Libertador) including the civil registry,
marriage/birth/death certificates, and enforcing municipal
ordinances such as dealing with noise complaints. He pointed
out that under the recently passed legislation, many of these
responsibilities had been shifted elsewhere. Sanchez noted
that registries, for example, are now under the authority of
the National Electoral Council (CNE).


5. (C) Comment: Ledezma has become an increasingly vocal
opposition critic of Chavez. He received significant press
coverage during the march against the education law, and
international media attention for his assertion that
Venezuela is experiencing a "slow motion coup." End Comment.
DUDDY